The Forum on Independent Innovation in Artificial Intelligence convened on May 18th, officially unveiling the “Jingxi Valley: Renmin University of China Center for AI and Smart Governance,” a joint initiative between Renmin University of China (RUC) and the Mentougou District Government in Beijing.
The event drew over 150 participants, including university leaders, government officials, researchers, and students. Key speakers included Lin Shangli, President of RUC and Lü Chenfei, Mentougou District Mayor. The forum was hosted by Li Yanli, Party Secretary of the Gaoling School of Artificial Intelligence at RUC.
In his remarks, Lin emphasized that accelerating AI innovation is a strategic imperative for China. He stressed the importance of reshaping education models, integrating academic disciplines, and aligning research with real-world applications to train future leaders in AI. “This forum provides a solid platform for fusing education, talent, and innovation to drive China's AI ambitions forward,” he said.
Mayor Lü highlighted the collaborative momentum between RUC and the district, noting a recently signed agreement to foster AI industry-university research partnerships. “The new research center is more than just a milestone in our cooperation—it’s a launchpad for AI industrial innovation,” Lü said, expressing hope for deepened collaboration that combines RUC's research strengths with Mentougou’s policy and industrial advantages.
The newly launched Jingxi Valley center is designed to integrate AI research, governance innovation, and industrial application.
Wen Jirong, Executive Dean of the Gaoling School of Artificial Intelligence, presented a report on the school’s achievements and future vision, citing progress in academic development, research output, and talent cultivation. He outlined plans to strengthen AI-driven governance, expand the school’s role in policy advising, and build a vibrant AI innovation ecosystem.
The forum showcased a range of groundbreaking research achievements from RUC’s faculty. Among the highlights were a suite of large-scale AI models, the "Yulan-Wanxiang" multi-agent social simulation platform, and cutting-edge applications of AI in international legal governance. Researchers also introduced "Yulan-LLaDA," a diffusion-based language model, along with multimodal AI frameworks, the WebThinker deep search engine, new tools in scientific intelligence, and technologies aimed at enhancing smart governance.
In a dedicated innovation showcase, RUC students presented a series of forward-looking projects that blend advanced AI with real-world applications. These included the ZhiZi Engine for multimodal content understanding and generation, Miaoshou—an AI-powered platform for automated scientific research, HuiShen—a credible AI-driven court simulation, Huisheng—a hyperrealistic AI social networking app, and WeaveWave, a creative model for generating music with multimodal AI.
A roundtable on “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the AGI Era” capped the day, with experts and students debating how to support youth-led AI ventures better. Participants called for stronger platforms and policies to unleash young talent in the field.
As a sub-forum of RUC’s 2025 Global Alumni Forum on Disciplinary Development, the event was co-hosted by the Gaoling School of Artificial Intelligence, the Ministry of Education’s “Next-Gen Intelligent Search and Recommendation” Engineering Research Center, and the Beijing Key Laboratory for Large Models and Smart Governance. The goal is to align foundational AI research with national development, and foster a stronger innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem for China’s future.
